The Raging Storm

Alderheart reached camp, his paws itching to tell Bramblestar that Shadowkit had seen Juniperclaw take the deathberry seeds. His father would have to do something, surely? A Clan’s deputy mustn’t be capable of cold-blooded murder.

As he hurried through the dripping tunnel, he scanned the camp. Bramblestar was crouched in the shelter of the camp wall, sharing a mouse with Brackenfur. Twigbranch was pacing beside them, her eyes glittering excitedly. She glanced urgently at Bramblestar, as though willing him to finish eating. Beside them, Thornclaw was nosing through the bedraggled fresh-kill pile, while Ivypool called to Thriftkit, Flipkit, and Bristlekit from the nursery.

“Come inside!” she ordered.

They looked at her from the edge of the puddle beside the clearing.

“We’re pretending to be RiverClan cats!” Flipkit waded into the muddy water.

Bristlekit splashed after him. “Look! I can swim!” The water barely covered her paws.

“Me too!” Thriftkit squeaked.

“You look like drowned mice!” Ivypool ventured a little way into the rain, her pelt prickling as the rain touched it. She hurried to the puddle and grabbed Bristlekit by the scruff. Lifting her off her paws, she carried her to the nursery, whisking the other two along with her tail.

Water streamed down the cliff behind the medicine den. It dripped from the Highledge. Graystripe looked out miserably from the elders’ den and turned back inside with a snort.

“Bramblestar.” Alderheart hurried toward his father.

As Bramblestar looked up from his mouse, the camp entrance rustled and Lionblaze raced in. Cherryfall and Bumblestripe were on his heels. They hurried past Alderheart and stopped, panting, in front of Bramblestar. The ThunderClan leader scrambled to his paws.

“We traveled around the lake, as you ordered,” Lionblaze puffed. “RiverClan has been flooded out of their camp. They’re sheltering with WindClan.”

Twigbranch darted forward and stared imploringly at Bramblestar. “That makes it easy!” she mewed. “You have to let me fetch them back!”

Bramblestar waved her away with his tail and nodded to the patrol. “How are they all doing?”

Alderheart padded closer, curiosity prickling in his pelt, as Lionblaze carried on with his report. “They’re wet and miserable, but they seem safe. Mistystar was very upset, though.”

“She says StarClan was right and we should have listened to them,” Cherryfall told him.

“Actually, both she and Harestar say the same thing,” Bumblestripe chimed in. “If we’re to survive this storm, we need SkyClan back.”

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “Are they willing to give up land, then, as I’ve said ThunderClan would do?”

Cherryfall twitched her whiskers anxiously. “Not exactly,” she said.

“But they both said they would be willing to discuss it further,” Lionblaze added. “I think they might be convinced.”

Twigbranch pushed herself forward again. “We have an opportunity, then,” she urged. “StarClan clearly wants all the Clans to stay together. What if I take cats from each of the Clans, and we try to persuade SkyClan that they are wanted here?”

Hope soared in Alderheart’s chest. “It can’t hurt,” he urged. “But . . . the biggest obstacle remains: Tigerstar.”

“Tigerstar will have to accept StarClan’s will,” Bramblestar growled.

“What if he still refuses to give up land?” Bumblestripe asked.

“Then he will have to answer StarClan alone.” Bramblestar nodded to Twigbranch. “Take the warriors you need from ThunderClan, and recruit as many cats as you can from the other Clans. Find Leafstar and persuade her to come back.”

Twigbranch’s eyes shone. She lifted her muzzle, ignoring the rain, and purred. “I’ll bring SkyClan back,” she promised.

As she headed toward the warriors’ den, Alderheart tried to catch his father’s eye. He still had to speak to him about Juniperclaw.

“Go with Twigbranch,” Bramblestar told Lionblaze. “Help her recruit volunteers for her patrol and tell Mistystar and Harestar what we’ve decided.”

As Lionblaze dipped his head and turned away, Alderheart padded forward. “I need to talk to you.” He blinked expectantly at his father.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. “You look worried. Do you think it’s too late to bring SkyClan home?”

“It’s not about SkyClan.” Alderheart jerked his nose toward the Highledge. “Let’s talk over there.” He led Bramblestar away from the crowded fresh-kill pile, relieved to find shelter beneath the jutting rock.

Bramblestar gazed at him anxiously.

“We have to help ShadowClan,” Alderheart told him.

“Help them?” Bramblestar looked puzzled.

“Shadowkit saw Juniperclaw take deathberries from the medicine den,” Alderheart told him quietly. “Violetshine says Juniperclaw was beside the SkyClan fresh-kill pile just before Sparrowpelt got sick.”

“So you really think Juniperclaw poisoned Sparrowpelt?”